Scrub dress

ABSTRACT

A scrub dress for use by women of varying physical dimensions. The scrub dress is straight-sided without utilizing a waist line so as to obtain greater comfort and better lines for women of varying shapes. A square neck opening is employed which will fit any size neck comfortably. Easy entry to the dress is made possible by a vertical slit that extends downwardly from one side of the neck opening. The slit is closed by releasable means of flat shape that permit easy laundering and ironing with a power mangle. The sleeves are so proportioned as to permit freedom of arm movement.

O minted statbS Paten 1 1 1111 3,748,659

Meyers July 31, 1973 SCRUB DRESS Prima Examiner-H. Ham ton Hunter 76 111mm L.M 5235L a P I 1 men or g s s 883 Attorney-Fulwider, Patton,Rieber, Lee & Utecht [22] Filed: June 17, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 46,907ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl. 2/74, 2/1 14 A scrub dress for use by women fvarying physical i [51] Int. Cl. A4111 1/22 mensions The scrub dress isStraighbsided without no 73, 75, a waist line so as to greater comfortand zlDlG- ma 7 better lines for women of varying shapes. A square neckopening is employed which will fit any size neck [56] Rekrences Citedcomfortably. Easy entry to the dress is made possible UNITED STATESPATENTS by a vertical slit that extends downwardly from one side3,276,036 10/1966 Cater 2/114 of the neck p s- The Slit is closed yrelgasable 818,351 4/1906 Clark 2/114 means of flat shape that permiteasy laundering and 2,556,931 6/1951 Miller.... 2/114 ironing with apower mangle. The sleeves are so pro- 3,397,406 8/1968 Leach 2/1l4 Xportioned as to permit freedom of arm movement. 3,258,780 7/1966 Vitolo2/74 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures '20,46l1906 Great Britain 2/114 PATENIED JUL 31 ms smzn 1 or 2 INVEN TOR PHYu/sL Mere-e5 f w j M W Arraewers PATENTED'JUL 31 ms SHEET 2 [IF 2 1 NVENTOR. Pmzus L. Mere-es flrroeA/ers' SCRUB DRESS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates togarments and more particularly to a scrub dress.

2. Description of the Prior Art Most conventional scrub dresses, such asthose utilized in hospitals and the like, utilize a waist line and acomparatively small neckopening which renders the dresses difficult tofit different-sized women. Entry to the dress is provided by a rearopening which is difficult to close and unclose. Additionally,conventional hospital scrub dresses employ buttons or snaps so as torequire hand ironing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a major object of the present inventionto provide a scrub dress for use by persons of varying physicaldimensions to eliminate the aforedescribed disadvantages of conventionalscrub dresses, and which is particularly adapted for use by femalephysicians, obstetrical nurses, surgical nurses, cleaning'personnel andthe like.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a hospitalscrub dress which is economical of construction and capable of providinga long, useful and trouble-free service life.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from consideration of the following description, when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front perspective view ofa hospital scrub dress embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged broken perspective view showing the neck fasteningarrangement utilized with such hospital scrub dress;

FIG. 3 is a broken front view of said hospital scrub dress in enlargedscale;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing an alternate form of neckfastening arrangement;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged broken perspective view showing a second form ofhospital scrub dress embodying the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged broken perspective view showing the neck fasteningarrangement utilized with such second form of hospital scrub dress;

FIG. 7 is a broken perspective view showing a third form of hospitalscrub dress embodying the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged broken perspective view, showing the neckfastening arrangement utilized with the hospital scrub dress of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings andparticularly FIGS. 1-3 thereof, there is shown a preferred form ofhospital scrub dress D embodying the present invention. The scrub dressD includes a front panel generally designated l and a rear panelgenerally designated 12, such panels being generally mirror images ofone another. The front and rear panels cooperate to define a neckopening 13 and left-hand and right-hand sleeves 14 and 16. The upperportion of the front and rear panels are interconnected by shoulderelements 22 and 24 that define the sides of neck opening 13. A verticalslit 26 (FIG. 3) extends downwardly in front panel 10 adjacent theright-hand edge of the neck opening 13. The sides of the front and rearpanels are connected along their proximate edges by conventionaloverlapped seams 28 which extend along the underside of the sleeves 14and 16 and thence downwardly and outwardly.

The front panel 10 is provided with one or more pockets 29. Preferably,a pair of darts 30 are also provided on the front panel in the bodiceportion thereof. The provision of such darts in combination with theshift styling defined by the front and rear panels make it possible forthe hospital scrub dress D to fit practically any size figure withoutrequiring a belt. The elimination of a belt is important because it isimpossible to dispose the belt at the proper height for women of varyingheight, and where the belt is misplaced relative to a persons height theresulting appearance of the dress is most unattractive.

The sleeves 14 and 16 are of deep construction so as to afford freedomof arm movement for a woman wearing the dress. This is an importantadvantage, particularly when a woman is required to raise her arms.

The neck opening 13 is of the square type. The provision of such asquare neck opening permits the hospital scrub dress D to comfortablytit women of varying neck sizes.

Easy entry to the dress D is provided by means of the aforedescribedslit 26. The slit 26 is defined by the left side of an elongatedundertab 31 formed on the front panel immediately below the left-handportion of the neck opening 13 (FIG. 3). The undertab 31 is normallycovered by an overlapping-tab 32 formed on the upper portion of thefront panel by a reinforced layer of the panel material. The outersurface of the undertab 31 is provided with one side of an easilyreleasable pad of material 34, such as that sold under the trademarkVELCRO and disclosed in United States Letters Patent Nos. 3,147,528;3,154,837; or 3,192,589. The inner surface of the overlapping-tab 32 isprovided with the complementary other side pad 36 of such VELCROmaterial. When the two pads 34 and 36 of the VEL- CRO material arepressed together, the neck opening 13 will be closed. When it is desiredto put on or remove the scrub dress D, it is only necessary to pull thetwo pads 34 and 36 apart. It will be apparent that the engagement anddisengagement of the VELCRO pads 34 and 36 may be readily accomplishedby a woman wearing the dress.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a dress D-l similar to dress Dbut incorporating an alternate form of neck fastening arrangement. Inthis alternate form the undertab 31 is provided with a pair of flat ties40 while the overlapping-tab 32 is provided with a complementary pair ofties 44. The ties 40 and 42 are knotted together so as to temporarilysecure the overlappingtab in place over the undertab 31. It will beapparent that the ties may be readily knotted and unknotted by the womanwearing the dress.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings, there is shown a secondform of scrub dress D-2 embodying the present invention. With respect toFIGS. 1-4, like elements bear primed reference numerals. The dress D-2is generally similar to the dress shown in FIGS.

ll-l, with the exception that it utilizes a different form of neckfastening arrangement. 'As indicated particularly in FIG. 6, this neckfastening arrangement includes a complementary pair of flat ties 44secured to shoulder 22 immediately adjacent the slit 26. Theoverlapping-tab 32' is provided with a pair of complementary flat ties46. Additionally, the slit 26 extends vertically downwardly a greaterdistance than in the case of the dress shown in FIGS. 1-4. Preferably,two pairs of strings 48, 50 are carried by the undertab 31 in verticalalignment wih the flat ties 44 for engagement with complementary strings52, 54 carried by the overlapping-tab 32'.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, there is shown a third form of scrubdress D-3 embodying the present invention. The dress D-3 is generallysimilar to the dress shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 insofar as the depth of theslit 26" is concerned. In the form of dress shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, theundertab 3 1" is provided with a plurality (such as three) flat ties 60,62 and 64. The midportion of each of these ties is affixed to theundertab 31". The ties 60, 62 and 64 are adapted to be inserted throughthree pairs of slots 66, 68 and 70 formed in the overlapping-tab 32". Inorder to close the neck of the dress D-3, the ties 60, 62 and 64 areinserted through the slots 66, 68 and 70 and thereafter tied asindicated in FIG. 7.

It is an important advantage of each form of the scrub dress of thepresent invention that such dress may be readily laundered and thenironed by means of a power-operated mangle.Such power mangling avoidsthe expense of hand-ironing, as is necessary with where buttons orsnapsare employed, such buttons or snaps tearing the roll of a mangle. Sincethe scrub dress of the present invention utilizes either the flat VELCROpads or flat ties, no such problem is encountered in the launderingthereof. It should also be noted that the shoulder elements 22 and 24overlap the wearers shoulders. This arrangement insures that the strapsof the wearers underclothing will be completely covered on both sides ofthe neck opening 13. Finally, it should be noted that the wearer of thedress may readily secure and release the dress without requiring theassistance of another person.

The aforedescribed hospital scrub dress may be economically manufacturedand will provide a long, useful and trouble-free service life.

Various modifications and changes may be made with respect to theforegoing detailed description, without departing from the spirit ofthepresent invention.

I claim:

1. A scrub dress for use by women of varying physical dimensions, saidscrub dress comprising:

a front panel;

a solid rear panel, said panels being joined together along their sidesand defining a square neck opening and short left and right sleeves, theupper portion of said panels beingprovided with shoulder elementsbetween said sleeves and the sides of said neck opening, and saidsleeves each being defined by a band of material having its endsoverlapped along the top of each sleeve;

said overlapped ends being unsecured along their edges except at thepoint of securement at said shoulder elements thus permitting freemovement of the arms of a wearer in an upward direction;

said front panel being solid except for a vertical slit extendingdownwardly from said neck opening, an undertab formed on said frontpanel below said one side of said neck opening defining one side of saidslit; 7

an overlapping-tab formed on said front panel to normally cover saidundertab and thereby close said neck opening; and

readily disengageable fastening means of flat, ironable configurationinterposed between said undertab and said overlapping-tab, with saidfastening means being disengageable to permit easy entry to said dresssolely by means of the neck opening.

2. A scrub dress as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fastening meansare flat ties.

3. A scrub dress as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fastening meansconsist of a pair of complementary releasably interlocking tabs.

4. A scrub dress as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fastening meansinclude flat ties secured to said undertab that are removably insertablethrough slots formed in said overlapping tab.

5. A scrub dress as set forth in claim 1 wherein apair of darts areprovided in the bodice portion of said front panel to permit said dressto fit various sized human figures without requiring a belt.

1. A scrub dress for use by women of varying physical dimensions, saidscrub dress comprising: a front panel; a solid rear panel, said panelsbeing joined together along their sides and defining a square neckopening and short left and right sleeves, the upper portion of saidpanels being provided with shoulder elements between said sleeves andthe sides of said neck opening, and said sleeves each being defined by aband of material having its ends overlapped along the top of eachsleeve; said overlapped ends being unsecured along their edges except atthe point of securement at said shoulder elements thus permitting freemovement of the arms of a wearer in an upward direction; said frontpanel being solid except for a vertical slit extending downwardly fromsaid neck opening, an undertab formed on said front panel below said oneside of said neck opening defining one side of said slit; anoverlapping-tab formed on said front panel to normally cover saidundertab and thereby close said neck opening; and readily disengageablefastening means of flat, ironable configuration interposed between saidundertab and said overlapping-tab, with said fastening means beingdisengageable to permit easy entry to said dress solely by means of theneck opening.
 2. A scrub dress as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidfastening means are flat ties.
 3. A scrub dress as set forth in claim 1wherein said fastening means consist of a pair of complementaryreleasably interlocking tabs.
 4. A scrub dress as set forth in claim 1wherein said fastening means include flat ties secured to said undertabthat are removably insertable through slots formed in said overlappingtab.
 5. A scrub dress as set forth in claim 1 wherein a pair of dartsare provided in the bodice portion of said front panel to permit saiddress to fit various sized human fIgures without requiring a belt.